NEW YORK – His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America sent a letter to the Clergy of the Metropolis of New Jersey officially announcing the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the removal of Metropolitan Evangelos from the New Jersey Metropolis and his transfer to the Metropolis of Sardis in Asia Minor.  

The entire letter follows:

“October 8, 2020

To the Reverend Clergy of the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey: May the grace and peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be upon you and your loved ones. It is with heartfelt sentiments of paternal care and affection that I would like to communicate with you in order to inform you of the decision made by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate today – during its current session in the Queen of Cities under the Chairmanship of His All-Holiness our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew – to transfer the Shepherd of your Metropolis, His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos, to the Holy Metropolis of Sardes, effective immediately. Therefore, in light of this decision, kindly know that the Holy and Sacred Synod has appointed me as the Patriarchal Vicar in your now-vacant Eparchy of New Jersey, and, as such, I promise to faithfully serve you and the entire Metropolis to the best of my abilities, so as to address your pastoral needs and ensure your collective spiritual prosperity and wellbeing. And so, according to the canonical order, beginning today, please commemorate my name in the divine services as the local Shepherd of your Holy Metropolis. Conveying to you my archpastoral blessings and wholehearted prayers, I invoke upon you, your dear families and the Christ-loving faithful of the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey, the rich grace and endless mercy of God, and remain With paternal love in Christ.”